Hip Mobility Exercises That'll Keep You Feeling Limber

Add these hip mobility movements to your regular routine to get the most out of your workouts and remain injury-free

Like creativity and directness, hip mobility is something that kids can pull off without trying. We are born with full joint mobility. If you have ever watched a toddler squat or bend over to pick something up — the perfect deadlift —they display exceptional form."

As we age that doesn't come as naturally. Maintaining hip mobility is worth a bit of effort, even if it means tacking on a few extra minutes to your workout sessions.

For athletes, hip mobility allows for peak performance during exercise, improves speed, and allows the individual to have full range of motion.

Maintaining hip mobility can help you avoid pain. If you lack hip mobility, you will tend to suffer from tight muscles in the hip flexors, low back and front of the hips. The lower back takes over (compensates) when thehips and glutes are tight or weak.

Here are a few exercises to help:

Foam Rolling

A. Lie face down with the foam roller pressing into the hip flexors. The hip flexors are at the front of your body where the top of your quad meets your hip. Gently rock forward and back, using hands or forearms for support, tor elease tension in the hip flexors. Repeat on the opposite side.

Alternatively, use a massage gun, apply the gun to the same area. It is also beneficial to use a foam roller or massage gun on your hamstrings and quadriceps to better release tight hips.

90/90Stretch

A. Sit upright on the floor and bend left leg in front of body with hips externally rotated. The left leg and knee will create a 90-degree angle. Place the right leg next to body with your hips internally rotated. Bend knee so thatleg creates a 90-degree angle. Hips should be in line with right knee.

B. Sit up tall and breathe into this stretch with both knees evenly placed on the floor. Repeat on opposite side.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch “Runner’s Lunge”

A. Start in a half-kneeling position on the floor with left foot forward and right knee down directly below the hip.

B.S lowly drive the left knee forward to feel a stretch in the right hip flexor. Hold. Repeat on opposite side.

You can make this an active stretch by continuously shifting forward and backward. As a static stretch, you can amplify this movement by rotating your chest toward the kneeling leg and placing the opposite hand on the outside of the knee.

Lying Pigeon Pose

A. Start in a downward dog position, with hands and feet on the floor, hips raised toward the ceiling. Raise right leg toward the ceiling and then bring right knee in toward chest. Then down towards the right wrist (go wide on the mat rather than the centre). Rest bent leg down with right ankle close to left hip, you choose the angle that feels best for your body.

B. Allow left leg to rest on floor. Keeping hips as level as possible, walk hands forward while slowly lowering forehead towards the mat. Hold, breathing through discomfort *but release from this pose if it is too much. Repeat on opposite side.

Deep Squat Extension

A. Start in a deep squat (as low as possible without lifting heels), with chest lifted and hands resting on the floor between legs.

B. Keeping hands on the floor, extend legs into a standing position, dropping head and bringing gaze to the floor.

C. Bend legs and lower into a squat, opening knees to stretch the hips. Continue to bend and extend legs from a squatting to a standing position.

Leg Swing

A. Stand beside a wall or other stable surface, holding onto it for support.

B. Begin to swing outer leg forward and back, keeping leg straight. Make sure to generate the power from the hip and not the hamstring. You may need to shorten your stride to ensure that you are not using your lower back. Continue to swing leg back and forth. Repeat on opposite side.

Fire Hydrant

A. Start on all fours in tabletop position, stacking shoulders over wrists and hips over knees.

B. Keeping knee bent at a 90-degree angle, lift left leg. Hold for a second if possible, then lower the knee back to the floor to return to start. Continue lifting and lowering leg. Repeat on opposite side.

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